Mowing cutter and support



and the-method of: removing the cutter;

fatented Sept. 9, 1947 .MOWING. CUTTER AND SUPPORT James F; Schafer; Fort Lauderdale, Fla.- Matilda Bra-nnaman Linthicum, cxecutrixmf said James F. Schafer, deceased Application July 22, l944gserial -No:546,07l

Claims. -1

.This invention relates tocutting devices and more particularly :to cutters and supporting means therefor especiallysadaptable for moving machines.

The invention embraces the, provision vof.independentxknives or cutter teeth, for a mowing machine in whiohthe individual teeth are selectively removable from the supportfor, purposes of repair or: replacement.

The invention provides an arrangement of means. for removably mounting aknife or cutter upon. a support .or cutter. bar whereby a knife may'berquick'ly. removed/and replaced or repaired Withoutthe use ofspecial tools. a

An object of the invention is the provision of means for. interlocking la mowing machine knife with its reoiprocable supporting bar and retainingjthe-knife in positioniby cam means.

.Another object is the provision .of means for .pos'itivelypositioning a cutter or knife on a: support in: association with releasable means for look- .ing' the vcutter in position.

Still .another objeotis the provision or? cam means .for retaining. removable knife upona cuttenbar in which the cammeans in normal positionis.:in. closeengagement-with the cutter and not liable .to lee-dislodged during cutting operations.

Further :objects and advantages are within the scope of this inventionsuchas relate to the arrangement, operation and. function of the relatedielements of the structure, to various details .of construction-and to. combinations of ;parts, elements perse, and to economies of manufac ture and numerous other features as will be apparent from a consideration of the specification and drawingoofnaiformvofelthe invention, which may be preferred, in which:

Figure 1 is an isometric View. of...a,portion of a cutter support and cutter illustrating a form' of the invention;

Figure 2 is-a top plan view-of a portion of the support, cutter and cutter retaining means;

- Figure-3&5 a top plan view of a form of cutter perse; v --Figure-4 is asectional .view taken; substantial-lyon-the line 4-4 of Figure 2 Eig-urertw is a View similar toFigure 4 showing the cutter. retaining means in released position Figure-6 is a rear-elevational view-showing the cutter retaining means and support therefor the cutter being removed therefrom;

While I have illustrated a form of the invention as embodied in a cutting means for mowing 10 independently-ofthe :others and is 10f a :con-

figuratiom as particularly illustrated in Figure 3. Each knife is generally of V-shape-havingthe converging wall portion beveled-asset l2, toprovide 1 cutting edges 14. In ,almowing "machine ,(not shown) .the:,:bardll andcthe knives Hgare reciprocated in 1a1direction' longitudinally of the causing the knives to pass stationary: teeth (not shown) toceifect'a cutting ,or shearing oi grassrhay or othermaterial to be cut. .Therear .portionof each-knife. is formed-with;a;=pair:of

open'aslotsorgkerfs 15 and adjacent: each slot-is .a circular opening 16 :to accommodate :knife positioning means as hereinafter explained.

The support or cutter bar I0;is;providedxwith 25 openings. :in which; are. disposedgpins l 1 having shouldered: portions; or: heads; l8 which engage and; :proiectv fromi the. upper; surface of .the bar iii. The slower zextremitiesioi -..the pins l] ...are, swaged;-as".at; .l 9" to; 'frusto-conical :configuration 1to:fixed-ly rretainnthegpins in: the bar. 10. The 'bar' :10 [is fiormed :with openings adjacent each pair ofrpins 1 1 {to receive tenons-20 formed on the legs-of aa U:-shaped,.rmember. or cutter retainer support-ingmeans 2 l the; ends ofv the; tenons 2 8 5 being: swagedzas-at .22it0wS6Cll-Ii81Y faste-nithe memberrll: to thensupport'or barwlil. v Amember 2| is providedrion eachlknife Hwdisposedalong thetbari'lfi.

1 "The cutter-retaining means-is: inclusive; orqa 40 member-25 formed-vat; each-zsidetofsits reargporposition the knife, while the member 25 functions as a cam means to lock the knife to the bar it in the manner illustrated in Figure 4.

In the event that one or more of the knives or cutters -Il becomes dull or broken, the same may be quickly and easily removed by swinging the cam or member 25 about its pivotal support as shown in dotted lines in Figure 4. A screw driver or other suitable edged tool may be inserted between the adjacent surfaces of the knife and member 25 in order to effect relative movement of the cam or member 25 to knife releasing position as shown in Figure 5. After member 25 has been swung to the position shown in Figure 5, the knife I I may be elevated to disengage the knife from the heads of positioning pins II, the knife removed by forward movement of same relative to the support, a new one quickly inserted, and the cam 25 returned to its normal position to hold the knife to the bar as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4.

It should be noted that the converging edge walls of member 25 are beveled as at 28 to facilitate movement of the same through the material to be cut, thus minimizing the liability of dislodging the knife retaining cams 25 during mowing or cutting operations.

It is apparent that, within the scope of the invention, modifications and different arrangements may be made other than is herein disclosed, and the present disclosure is illustrative merely, the invention comprehending all variations thereof.

What I claim is:

1. In combination, an elongated supporting bar;

a cutter having converging cutting edges mounted upon said bar; a plurality of projections extending from said bar; said cutter having a plurality of openings adapted to register with said projections and adapted to receive the latter for positioning the cutter upon the bar; and a cam means pivotally mounted for movement about an axis parallel to and spaced from said supporting bar for normally securing said cutter in engagement with the bar.

2. In combination, an elongated supporting bar; a V-shaped cutter adapted to be supported upon said bar having converging cutting edges; a

.pair of projections extending from said bar; said cutter having a pair of openings adapted to accommodate said projections for positioning said cutter upon said bar; a U-shaped member having its leg portions fixedly secured to said bar; said cutter having a pair of slots adapted to accommodate the legs of said U-shaped member; and a cam supported upon the bight portion of said U-shaped member and adapted to secure said cutter in engagement with said bar.

3. In combination a mowing machine cutter including an elongated supporting bar; a plurality of cutting knives adapted to be carried upon said bar; a plurality of .U-shaped members carried upon said bar; a plurality of pins carried by said bar and projecting from one side thereof; each of said knives having openings to 4 swung to a position in which the body portion thereof is parallel to and in contact with the horizontal upper surfaces of said knives for normally holding said knives in operable engagement with said supporting bar.

4. In combination, a mowing machine cutter including an elongated supporting bar; a plurality of individual cutting knives adapted to be carried upon said bar; a plurality of U-shaped members carried upon said bar; the legs of said U-shaped members having reduced tenon portions extending into openings formed in said bar; the extremities of said tenon portions being distorted to securely fix said U-shaped members to said bar; a plurality of pins carried by said bar; said knives having openings to accommodate the pins carried by said bar; a plurality of knife locking members; each of said knife locking members having a V-shaped body portion and pair of perforated ears extending upwardly and journaled for pivotal movement on the bight portion of said U-shaped members; each of said knife locking members being arranged to be swung to a position in which the body portion thereof is parallel to and in contact with the horizontal upper surfaces of said knives for normally holding said knives in operable engagement with said supporting bar.

5. In combination a mowing machine cutter including an elongated supporting bar; a plurality of individual cutting knives adapted to be carried upon said bar; a plurality of U-shaped members carried upon said bar and arranged with the bight portions thereof parallel to the bar; the legs of said U-shaped members having reduced tenon portions extending into openings formed in said bar; the extremities of said tenon portions being distorted to securely fix said U-shaped members to said bar; a plurality of headed pins carried by said bar each of said knives having openings to accommodate the heads of the pins carried by said bar; a plurality of knife locking members each having a V-shaped body portion; each of said knife locking members having a pair of laterally extending perforated ears journaled for pivotal movement on the bight portion of said U-shaped members; each of said knife locking members being arranged to be swung to a position in which the V-shaped body portion is parallel to and in contact with the horizontal upper surfaces of said knives for normally holding said knives in operable engagement with said supporting bar; said knife locking members having converging beveled upper edges.

JAMES F. SCI-IAFER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 536,464 Friesz Mar. 26, 1895 1,113,944 Auble Oct. 20, 1914 356,574 Decker Jan. 25, 1887 964,252 I-Iebden July 12, 1910 1,214,345 Melby Jan. 30, 1917 1,384,933 Whitmoyer July 19, 1921 2,332,840 Boyer Oct. 26, 1943 392,202 I-Iaberthur et al Nov. 6, 1888 1,312,496 Anderson et al Aug. 5, 1919 

